ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, VA (Rocktown Now) — Rockingham County Fire and Rescue is reminding students going back to college the importance of fire safety. For most students, the last fire safety training they received was in grade school. Whether you’re living off-campus or on-campus, it’s important to understand fire risks and know preventative measures that could save your life and others.

According to the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA), an estimated 3,800 university housing fires occur each year in the United States with 88% being cooking fires. The leading causes of campus related fires include:

1) Cooking (hot plates, microwaves, portable grills, etc.) Unattended cooking is by far the leading contributing factor. Microwave popcorn fires are a common occurrence with college students. (Ramen noodles with little to no water also overly frequent.) Propane and charcoal barbecue grills must only be used outdoors.

2) Arson – Campus arson often starts as a prank, but pranks can turn deadly.

3) Careless Smoking – Fires caused by careless smoking result in more collegiate fatalities than any other ignition source. Nearly three-fourths of people who die in smoking related fires were killed by fires that started in either upholstered furniture or a mattress. It’s better and safer to smoke outside.

4) Unattended Candles – Candle fires account for 20 percent of university housing fires in bedrooms.

5) Overloaded Extension Cords, Power Strips, and Outlets. – Overloaded extension cords, power strips and outlets are one of the leading causes of fires in college housing, due to electrical wiring that can’t safely handle the modern power demands from microwave ovens, compact refrigerators and personal computers just to name a few.

6) Escape Plans – Take all fire alarms seriously. Never ignore a fire alarm. Get out before calling for help. Once you’re out stay out! Be the hero on the outside by providing information to firefighters about what/who might be inside